Sondre Norheim
- the Skiing Pioneer of Telemark

The Statue in Morgedal

With 20 ski veterans as
guard of honour, the Sondre statue was unveiled in the centre of Morgedal
by HM King Olav on January 16, 1988. About 2,000 people attended the
ceremony on a beautiful winter day.

The Sondre statue is unveiled by HM King Olav
Photo by Tore Øyvind Moen, Varden

Eivind Strondi was the
master of ceremonies, and among the guests were official representatives
from North Dakota, Canada and
Telemark. The organizing committees were represented by Chester Reiten and
Ragnhild Hagen. Chairman of the Morgedal Sports Club, Asbjørn Gåsdalen,
thanked the committees for all their efforts in making this project a
reality.

“Sondre was a true pioneer. He generated enthusiasm and excitement far
beyond Morgedal”, the King said in his speech. “Sondre brought something
new to the nation and the world. With his example he generated
opportunities. He has made Norwegian words like ski and slalom known
worldwide. He fully deserves to be celebrated like we do today”, the King
said.

During the ceremony a message and greeting was sent from Morgedal to the
Olympic Games in Calgary, due to be held in February the same year. The
text of the message was read in front of the King by 17-year-old Sondre
Versto of Morgedal.

The message brought friendly wishes that young people should live out the
joy of skiing that Sondre had, in peaceful competition, first of all to
participate, not to win. Norwegian ski star and giant slalom gold winner
from the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Stein Eriksen, read the same text
as he later introduced the message at the Olympic stadium in Calgary.